Read full description of the books Matters of State:

Dear Author,Tomorrow marked his twenty-fourth birthday. Damien had longed for it the entire year, because it was the day the Rebellion would moor into the port. She had done so for six years in a row. The ship was magnificent, and always brought with her an abundance of wealth. But it was her captain that Damien longed to see the most. The enigmatic Hayden had captivated him from the first moment they met, six years earlier, on his eighteenth birthday. When Hayden turned those burning eyes upon him from across the room, he had the urge to go down on his knees and beg for his attention and whatever more he was willing to give. But despite the penetrating eyes, he didn’t get anything more than a polite conversation and a congratulation when he learned it was his birthday. For six consecutive years, those eyes had roved his body and bared his needs, while every gesture and spoken word was distant and evasive. And each time Hayden left, Damien was yearning more. Tomorrow though, he would make Hayden stay and let him have his wicked way. Damien was making sure of that! He would wait no longer to be with the man he fell in love with! Tomorrow marked the first day of their HEA…

Photo Description:Black & white of two naked males in profile, passionately embracing. Musculature denotes that one is older than other; he hungrily leans in, teeth against the youth’s neck. The younger male grasps his lover; one hand fisted in his hair pulling him in and the other spanning his ribs, and as he arches backwards his lover covers him. Both are consumed in the moment.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

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APS is a Jack-of-all-trades and master of none. Self-defined as terminally curious and prone to self-indulgence, APS excels at frittering. Diagnosed as having issues with authority from a young age, APS frolics in being a perpetrator of general ridiculousness and a defender of the irreverent.